Bob Blake, Chairman of the British Association of Ship Suppliers (BASS) looks back on his amazing career in ship supply but sees continuing problems post-Brexit
A wise man – wiser than I – commented aeons ago: “An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge”.
This might have been written as a clear guide on handling ship supply in the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland in these turbulent times.
His Majesty’s Customs & Excise continue their messianic progress to legislate ship supply out of existence and continue, also, to pay little or no heed to the industry when it comes to formulating ever more red tape-tied legislation that impacts our industry.
However, BASS has its own weapon to hand to combat this – it has to be said – unfriendly post-Brexit world we now inhabit.
Enter virtuoso Customs Consultant Neill Bretell!
To level the playing field – or should that be battlefield? – BASS has sensibly engaged Neill to monitor what UK Customs is up to and to inject some common sense into their deliberations and planning.
In BASS he has found a grown-up organisation that listens to his advice and acts upon it.
There is no doubt that post-Brexit import and export legislation gets worse not better and I could employ several more fruity epithets to illustrate this reality
on occasion!
Change in the operating environment is constant and it is a clever ship supplier who can navigate these choppy waters without hitting the rocks.
Whilst the climate is stormy one word sums up our present operating environment: nightmare.
With Neill on our side we can better deflect the onslaught from HMRC that continues to be challenging on a daily basis.
Turning to happier matters to report: BASS membership remains steady. The usual yearly dip in membership is compensated for by welcoming new members into BASS.
My friend and colleague and ISSA Board Member John Davey continues his sterling work monitoring OCEAN and the wider EU for anything that might impact members’ operations here in the UK.
"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."
Cruise ships have returned in a significant way after the travails of the Pandemic and whilst general trade can be described as ok – it is by no means brilliant.
From all reports and intelligence received the post-Covid environment is still in recovery. Generally, everyone in UK ship supply is doing all they can and more to regain turnover lost but, as always, we are under pressure to keep our prices to a minimum.
After so many years in the industry I can, at least, see a future for it in the UK. One positive development post-Brexit is that we no longer see Continental trucks rocking-up dock side. They realise that it is a risky business getting goods cleared through Customs in time to supply the ship.
Their loss is our gain! A case in point is the fruit and vegetables supply market which the UK is more than able to supply and at good prices too.
Having said that actually getting goods from the suppliers to ship suppliers is far more difficult these days.
On a personal note, in case readers are not aware: I retired from Admiral Harding Ltd after 57 years in the shipping industry on 30th June last year. Despite the naysayers the merger of Admiral Marine Supplies Ltd in December 2005 has been a resounding success and the “new” firm – Admiral Harding Ltd – continues to thrive. I am proud to say that there are three members of my family employed in the business.
To conclude: with Neill Bretell on our side I believe we can go forward with confidence and our British Association is already well into the start of its second century looking after members’ interests and supporting ISSA.
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